Re: 🛠️ Creating a symlink in macOS to store the Sims 4 folder on an external drive

@SimSimmaGirl 

override rwxr-xr-x  root/wheel for /Volumes/External/Electronic Arts? (y/n [n]) 

not overwritten

This result is a very simple question in Terminal and is the OS checking access permissions. You should have clicked Y for yes. A simple google would have helped you here.

"I tried to create a new symlink on my external hard drive that has my game saved onto it and it just copies the file over it doesn't actually move the file."

To be VERY clear, creating a symlink does not move anything. I'm assuming you are referring to step 1 of my guide, or a copy of my guide that someone has made, telling you to MOVE the Electronic Arts folder to the external drive. Creating the symlink is Step 2. If you're confused see the opening post on page 1 but creating the symlink can be a complicated process, I wouldn't recommend to everyone.

I think I'd be a nonce if I did not press y lol , which I did several times and nothing. I re-read your guideline and found that I had to eject the usb and then go to folders and delete something... it was long but it worked! Hooray! But the symlink is still not happening as there seems to be an issue at step one.

All the info I have about creating a symlink is from either your website or YouTube video. Which I successfully did before and played on my usb 1 for months. However since this July update I've had to buy usb 2 and put the actual game on that. Thanks to your responses so far, I've been able to download the TS4 app onto usb 2, sadly since I did that the game stopped picking up my EA folder on usb 1. I hope you're tracking with me.

So I reversed the symlink on usb 1 in hopes that I could just repeat the process all over again. As of right now the only thing being copied from my documents folder over to usb 1 is a white'd out TS4 app. 

I copy and paste all the correct text you have in red ink from your guide and all I do is change my usb 1 name. Once I input step one in terminal all that copies over into my usb 1 external is the sims 4 app but it is white'd out (I've included a photo) It does not copy the actual The Sims 4 folder with all my saves, mods etc. 

Creating a symlink is straight forward enough but there must be something I'm missing that is causing step one to only copy TS4 white'd out app and not the data. 

@SimSimmaGirl 

override rwxr-xr-x  root/wheel for /Volumes/External/Electronic Arts? (y/n [n]) 

not overwritten

This text in your previous post states that you pressed n for No, [n] when prompted in Terminal.

"The previous symlink I had was reversed as my game was not launching. But it was on my external hard drive." The symlink should never be on the external drive, it should be in the Documents folder as that is where the game looks for the user data.

"As of right now the only thing being copied from my documents folder over to usb 1 is a white'd out TS4 app" You should not be attempting a symlink for the app, only the user data folder.

Can you please provide proper full screenshots from Finder so I have a better picture of your setup and actually see the file structure you're trying to explain. You MUST have the path bar showing - https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp1774/mac

I'd like the following screenshots please:

1. Finder window showing USB1 contents
2. Finder window showing USB2 contents
3. Finder window showing your Documents folder
4. Screenshot showing installation location in EA App > Settings > Downloads

You can scribble over any personal info and files in those Finder locations, I don't need to see your user account name in the sidebar and user name in the path bar.

Please also post the Terminal commands you are attempting to you use. I can match these to your screenshots.